Latest update: East Baton Rouge Parish schools will remain closed on Friday because of the winter storm. Schools in West Baton Rouge and Iberville parishes will also remain closed. LSU’s campus will reopen on Friday, while Southern University will remain closed with classes operating remotely. Read more from WAFB-TV for the full list of school closures.
Automating tasks: OpenAI launched its “Operator” agent on Thursday, enabling AI to automate tasks like buying groceries and filing expense reports. The AI can browse the internet, click, scroll, and type like a human, allowing it to do such tasks as make restaurant reservations and transfer corporate data. Read more from The Wall Street Journal.
Spiking: Store closures in the U.S. reached 7,325 in 2024, the most since the pandemic’s peak in 2020. Major retailers like Party City and Macy’s were among those closing stores, driven by shifting consumer spending toward a few dominant brands. As of Jan. 10, another 1,925 closures have already been announced, signaling a continued decline. Read more from CNBC.
